Why I Love You
by Ciara in cotton socks
Summary: One-shot. A harmless piece of Danny/Lindsay fluff. Terrible summary, but the story is better, I promise! Please, please, please read and review!


**Why I Love You**

**A/N: Sadly, I do not own any of the characters from CSI:NY… though I wish I did!**

**OK, so this might be a bit cheesy, but I can't help it, I'm a sucker for romance…**

**Special mention to my fanfiction buddy, the lovely csiwendy07. Finally I added it, after so long mentioning it in my PMs, which must have driven you crazy!**

**Reviews and comments are always welcome (actually, I kinda need 'em!) so don't be afraid to press that little button once you finish reading!**

**Love,**

**Ciara**

**x x x**

"Hey baby, Daddy's home."

Danny Messer's hand rested on the varnished wood as he peered through the railings at the sleeping form inside the bars. Lucy's mouth was slightly open, her expression untroubled as always. She was a placid little thing with a shock of light brown hair and glittering blue eyes just like her dad's. She hardly ever cried, and she'd been sleeping through the night since a couple of days after they'd brought her home. She was a dream.

A pair of hands slid around his waist and he grinned as Lindsay's lips grazed his ear.

"Hey Daddy," she whispered teasingly, her hair tickling his cheeks as he turned to face her. "How was your day?"

"Tiring, Mrs Messer, tiring. Interviewing stoned teenagers can be really draining. What about you?"

"Better now that you're home."

"Suck-up."

"Oh, so I'm a suck-up now, am I?" Lindsay faux-huffed, betrayed by a twitch of her lips. "Well if I'm such a suck-up, you won't want the dinner I'm reheating for you in the oven."

"Hey, hey, I never said that!"

Danny followed her to the kitchen. She looked resplendent as always, even with her hair all mussed up and no makeup on. She wore a floaty maternity kaftan in shimmering turquoise, with stretchy white pants and aqua flip-flops. Danny marvelled at how she could always make his heart skip a beat in his chest every time he looked at her. He still found it hard to believe that she had chosen him; sometimes he had to twist his wedding ring around on his finger to remind himself that he wasn't dreaming.

"Here you are then," Lindsay grinned, plonking a plate of steaming lasagne down on the kitchen table. Danny's stomach rumbled. "Enjoy."

"You see," Danny explained through a mouthful of pasta. "_This_ is why I love you. You make the best lasagne ever."

"Charming! Better not let Flack hear you saying that, you know the pride he takes in his culinary skills."

"Ok, OK I'm kidding, although I think Flack's cooking abilities only stretch as far as a burned slice of toast. Come here."

Danny pulled her down onto his lap and buried his face in her overlong hair, ignoring her loud cries of protest.

"I'm a whale, I'll crush you!"

"Shut up. Oh God, I've missed you today," he gasped, breathing in her sweet, floral scent.

"Seriously, I'm still as big as a house. How could you possibly be attracted to this?" she wailed despairingly, her face contorted with visible upset. Tears burst from her tiny, vulnerable form.

"Shut up," Danny repeated, but more gently this time. "The real question is how could I not? You're gorgeous."

He pressed his lips to hers, silencing all her remonstrations. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to the kiss, losing himself in the pure ecstasy of being able to kiss Lindsay whenever he wanted. The novelty of being her husband hadn't worn off yet. In fact, he couldn't imagine it ever would.

They broke apart slowly and Danny opened his eyes. Lindsay's brown ones were brighter and a wistful smile played on her lips, which were red and tender around the edges from kissing. She looked rejuvenated. It amazed Danny even now that he could improve her mood with just a single caress.

"Thank you," Lindsay whispered, looking slightly ashamed of herself. "Sorry about that."

"It's OK," he soothed. "If you want, we can just blame it on the hormones."

She laughed her sunny, heart-warming laugh. "Thanks. Don dropped by earlier by the way."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, he had another bag full of gifts for Lucy."

"He's giving Mac a run for his money. That girl is gonna end up spoilt. Between those two, Stella and Hawkes, not to mention Adam and Sid."

"Oh, they're just showing that they care. I think it's really sweet."

"How's he holding up?"

Lindsay sighed sadly. "Better, I think. He stopped for coffee this time."

"That's good. I hate seeing him on self-destruct like this Montana. I just wish I could do something, you know?"

"I get it," she murmured, patting his arm sympathetically. "But you're his best friend. You can be there for him. Sometimes that's enough."

"You amaze me, you really do."

"Now who's a suck-up?"

From the baby monitor, the faint sound of crying filtered into the kitchen. Lucy was awake.

Lindsay tried and failed to stifle a yawn. She smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry, I got it," Danny promised.

"Are you sure?"

"She's my little girl, of course I'm sure Montana. Sit down, I'll be back before you know it."

Lucy's tiny form was tossing and turning, her delicate features scrunched up uncharacteristically as she bawled her little heart out. Danny picked her up; she was miniscule in his strong arms.

"Hey baby, hush now, hush now," he soothed, resting her head on his shoulder and rocking gently from side to side. "Did you have a bad dream? It's OK, Daddy's here. Daddy's here. Shhhh."

Ten minutes later he padded silently out into the kitchen-cum-living room, pulling the door closed behind him. Lindsay lay on the sofa, sound asleep. Her head lolled to one side awkwardly and she hadn't taken off her flip-flops. Danny crept forward and slid the shoes off her dainty feet. Even with bloated ankles, she had dancers' feet. He propped a scatter cushion behind her neck and her eyelids fluttered open lazily.

"Hey," she grinned sleepily.

"Sorry I woke you."

"'S alright. Thanks for the cushion."

"I've got something for you," he smiled, slipping his hand into his jeans pocket. "It was my mom's."

"Oh Danny," she exclaimed. "It's beautiful."

She took the ornate locket, letting it sit in her palm on top of its coiled chain. It was made of gold, inscribed with the words 'Forever in my heart' in elegant, flowing script.

"Open it," said Danny in a strangled voice. He stroked a strand of hair from her eyes. Suddenly he was afraid. Afraid she wouldn't like it. Afraid it was corny. Afraid she would laugh scornfully at the idiocy of it all.

Lindsay prised open the tiny, heart-shaped locket. In one of the two frames inside was a photo of Danny. The other frame held a picture of Lucy. She stared at it for several long moments without speaking.

"You don't like it," Danny groaned, smacking his forehead. "I should have known it was stupid. Sorry, I don't know what I was-"

Lindsay silenced him by placing her left index finger to his lips. Her eyes were swimming with unspilled tears. Happy tears?

"You see," she murmured softly, the ghost of a smile playing on her pretty features. She held the locket up for him to fasten around her neck. "_This_ is why _I_ love _you_."


End file.
